


Like a Heartbeat Skip, Like an Open Page

by jacksparrow589



Series: The js589 Shirbert Soundtrack [6]
Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Basically just Gilbert having daydreams about Anne, F/M, Gen, It's just fluffy pining all the way down, Shirbert, Sort of canon-compliant?, Their friendship is developing, but so too might their romance, we'll see how it goes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:09:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24518203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacksparrow589/pseuds/jacksparrow589
Summary: Just a couple connected shorts set between season 2 and season 3 as Anne and Gilbert's friendship slowly develops.Chapter 1: Gilbert overhears the girls' lunchtime conversation about Anne and Diana's upcoming trip to Charlottetown for the summer soiree, and must try desperately to pretend he doesn't.Chapter 2: Gilbert and Anne converse as the walk home together after a hockey game. Anne notes to Gilbert that the scenery is beautiful. Gilbert notes to himself that Anne is beautiful.
Relationships: Diana Barry & Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe & Moody Spurgeon MacPherson, Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley, Ruby Gillis & Anne Shirley
Series: The js589 Shirbert Soundtrack [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1728880
Comments: 43
Kudos: 116





	1. I Wanna Be the One You're Guiding

**Author's Note:**

> Overarching song for this fic: "Brand New" by Ben Rector. Each chapter will also have its own song.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It's not proper!" Josie pointed out. "Never mind that we're not yet adults! What game is Cole trying to play, inviting both of you?!" Gilbert didn't often find himself in agreement with Josie, but he couldn't say he wasn't wondering the same thing.  
> Diana was trying to hold back laughter. "My aunt is hosting, Josie. She's the one who invited us. Cole is merely escorting us."  
> "An escort to a soiree in Charlottetown: how romantic," Ruby gushed, gazing longingly in Gilbert's direction. He ducked his head back into his book just before she could meet his eyes. _Don't look up. Just don't look up._  
>  "That's what he wants you to think," Josie corrected with a toss of her head. "He was all too willing to kiss Anne during that game of spin-the-bottle last year—"  
> \-------  
> Gilbert overhears the girls' lunchtime conversation about Anne and Diana's upcoming trip to Charlottetown for the summer soiree, and must try desperately to pretend he doesn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song for this chapter: "Someone to You" by BANNERS. Takes place a year after the summer soiree of season 2, shortly before the events of season 3.

It was lunch time. Gilbert, as usual, had his nose in his notes. The girls, as usual, sat in a cluster in the opposite corner of the classroom, chatting excitedly about Diana and Anne attending Josephine Barry's upcoming summer soiree.

"So Cole's accompanying… both of you?" Gilbert heard Jane asked incredulously.

"Why not?" Tillie wanted to know.

"It's not proper!" Josie pointed out. "Never mind that we're not yet adults! What game is Cole trying to play, inviting both of you?!" Gilbert didn't often find himself in agreement with Josie, but he couldn't say he wasn't wondering the same thing.

Diana was trying to hold back laughter. "My _aunt_ is hosting, Josie. She's the one who invited us. Cole is merely escorting us."

"An _escort_ to a _soiree_ in _Charlottetown_ : how _romantic,_ " Ruby gushed, gazing longingly in Gilbert's direction. He ducked his head back into his book just before she could meet his eyes. _Don't look up. Just don't look up._

"That's what he _wants_ you to think," Josie corrected Diana with a toss of her head. "He was all too willing to kiss Anne during that game of spin-the-bottle last year—"

"Josie!" Anne's cheeks were bright pink, and Gilbert couldn't even really pretend interest in his notes anymore.

"That's because you and Billy and everyone else were too busy being horrible to Anne!" Jane reminded her.

Ruby took up the mantle of Anne's defense, "And anyway, it was Anne who kissed him, and it was only on the cheek! Even after she was the one who thought we should kiss boys if we wanted to… Even Moody and Diana kissed on the lips!" The girls lapsed into giggles for a moment, and Gilbert had to smile to himself. That definitely sounded like something Anne would say, and moreover, kissing Cole on the cheek sounded like a very Anne solution to the problem of being goaded into something she didn't want to do.

"I'm just saying that maybe Anne's feelings have grown! She and Cole were certainly close enough. She was the one who ran after him after the… _incident,_ " Josie said darkly.

"I assure you, my feelings for Cole are no more romantic than my feelings for… for…" Anne cast about the classroom. Her eyes met Gilbert's for a fraction of a second, and if she'd been blushing before, she was utterly scarlet now. "For Charlie!" She finished.

"Poor Charlie will be devastated to hear that!" Diana laughed.

Anne rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me." ( _Don't remind me, either,_ Gilbert thought. As Charlie currently sat in front of him, Gilbert was acutely aware of how often the other boy was looking at Anne these days.)

"But you'll at least dance with Cole, surely?" Josie prodded.

Anne shrugged. "Maybe. Diana and I danced last year. It doesn't… it's for fun, so it doesn't really matter who you dance with." She thought for a moment. "And anyway, since I was dancing the man's steps when Diana and I danced, I'd probably try to put my hand on a man's waist, anyway!"

The girls all laughed again, and Gilbert had a moment of imagining Anne reaching for him, and both of them laughing as he placed her hand on his shoulder before placing his on her waist and taking her other in his…

"Well, then you definitely should dance with Cole this year; get some practice not being the lead," Josie advised.

"I wish we could all go," Tillie sighed wistfully. "It sounds like an amazing time. If only Mother and Father had some business that would take us into Charlottetown."

Gilbert noticed Anne's eyes flick back over to him, her cheeks going just a little pink as she once again caught his eyes on her. He didn't really talk about his apprenticeship with Dr. Ward, and it seemed Anne didn't talk about his life to the girls.  _Why should she?_ the voice in his head asked.  _It's not as though there's anything between you, and "my neighbor goes to Charlottetown every weekend" is hardly exciting enough to share._

"We'll bring you back flower crowns," Anne promised, her attention back on her friends. "Who says you can't wear them and imagine dancing with a handsome prince or a misunderstood artist or a charming thief—"

"Or Billy?" Tillie teased, elbowing Josie, who was trying not to grin. Jane sighed and rolled her eyes, Ruby and Diana covered quick giggles, and Anne looked distinctly like she was trying not to retch.

"We can indulge in flower crowns only so long," Josie said impatiently. "This time next year, we'll be at Queen's—"

"We'll be in Charlottetown! We can go! With… with our  _beaus!_ " Ruby squealed breathlessly. "Oh, it'll be so wonderful! A proper, grown-up party; oh, I can't wait!"

Gilbert had almost gone back to studying, but Ruby's mention that all of them could go with their beaus… it was hard not to follow where that train of thought led him. He and Anne had certainly been on quite friendly terms lately. Nothing  _too_ friendly, of course. Apart from anything else, Anne's interactions with him still carried a bit of the same edge they had since the day they'd met. She never quite let her guard down fully.

Still, there were times where it seemed to him that Anne might feel the same way for Gilbert as he did for her.  The way she held his gaze sometimes and tried to avoid it at all costs at others; the times she'd go from her usual loquacious self to not knowing what to say, stumbling over her words before finally excusing herself; the way she seemed acutely aware of him in a way she wasn't of others. He'd attributed that last one to the amount of time she was spending with him as a result of the help she and Marilla were providing to Mary, and he liked the feeling it gave him.

He'd thought about inventing excuses to get her to stay behind so he could walk her home and hopefully muster up the courage to say something, but that seemed like something that could very easily backfire if he wasn't interpreting their growing closeness correctly after all. And God forbid she thought he was playing some kind of cruel joke on her. He'd heard Anne say often enough to Mary how homely and unlikable she thought she was, never mind Josie's occasional barbs. Even when Diana or Ruby or Mary quickly came to her rescue, the best attitude Anne could seem to muster about it was that she'd accepted that she was happy with herself, and so it didn't matter if she experienced only a tragical romance or no romance at all.

He wished he could find some way to tell her that while he admired and would never want to change or wish away her self-actualization, she could, if she so desired, have a non-tragical romance with him, because he certainly wanted one with her.

Bash had been nudging him desperately to say something at Christmas, going so far as to threaten hidden mistletoe. Mary had nixed the idea on the grounds that it would only scare Anne away. ("Sebastian, believe it or not, fifteen-year-old girls do not appreciate being coerced into kissing someone, especially when they like them. And I suspect seventeen-year-old boys don't really like it, either," she'd said. Gilbert had remained silent on the topic, though Bash went from teasing him about mistletoe to teasing him about the color of Gilbert's face matching the red of his jacket.)

Maybe he'd find some time around her birthday to say it. He knew it was coming up, and he knew Mary planned on giving Anne a few of the recipes Anne had been begging for. Perhaps he'd offer to walk her back to Green Gables then. Or maybe Mary would be willing to come up with an excuse to go out and talk with Bash so that they could have their discussion in a warm house and uninterrupted, at least…

"Do you ever stop studying?" Moody wanted to know as he sat down next to Gilbert, breaking through the latter's reverie. Class was about to resume.

"Only when you're not around to see it," Gilbert joked.

Moody rolled his eyes and huffed out a quiet laugh. "You study enough that you probably could have gotten into Queen's last year. You'll be fine. Me, on the other hand…"

Gilbert grinned. "You're always welcome to stay in and study too, you know."

Moody groaned. "No, thank you! Even if I studied every lunch from now until entrance exams, I couldn't score nearly as well as you and Anne will." He tilted his head just a bit. "I wonder which one of you will score higher."

Gilbert was about to say that it didn't really matter since he was certain they'd both score more than well enough to get into Queen's, but Miss Stacy called for attention to begin their afternoon lessons. Instead, he looked over at Anne, who was facing forward, a soft smile on her face.

_Maybe someday. Maybe soon.  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this was originally a one-off story, but the next chapter at least worked as a potential follow-up, and so, I'm combining the two. Who knows how many chapters this will actually spawn in the end. I might just go off the rails and rewrite season 3. Again. But the plan thus far is just for two chapters.
> 
> EDIT: An unregistered user by the name of Liz left a comment that I suspect was supposed to be for this story, but instead it got tacked onto Burning Like a Fire Gone Wild instead somehow. Liz, if you come back here and don't see your comment, I saw it and replied, I promise!


	2. Climb Up the Slide, and Then You'll Slide Down the Stairs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "One of these days, I should learn to skate."  
>  _I'll teach you,_ Gilbert wanted to say. "Planning on taking up hockey? Or do you want to do some up-close-and-personal reporting on the game?" He grinned.  
> Anne laughed and shook her head, her cheeks a little pink at the thought. "No! Honestly, I'd love to figure-skate. Tracing delicate patterns on the ice… It's like making patterns on frosted windows. You wouldn't think it's a way to create something beautiful, but it is."  
> For the second time in as many minutes, Gilbert found himself biting back a compliment about Anne's looks. It was difficult. Her peacock blue jacket and fiery red hair contrasted so wonderfully with each other and the snow, and for a moment, Gilbert wondered what Cole might think of a request to paint Anne as she was now.  
> \-------  
> Gilbert and Anne chat as they walk home after a hockey game. Anne notes to Gilbert that the scenery is beautiful. Gilbert notes to himself that Anne is beautiful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song for this chapter: "This Side" by Nickel Creek
> 
> Takes place a few weeks before S3, the weekend after the soiree mentioned in the previous chapter. Somehow fluffier than the previous one, IMO.

Tired as he was from the game, Gilbert knew there was a spring in his step, and it had everything to do with his present company: Anne was walking home with him. Diana had left early, citing that her parents wanted her home (though he'd heard her whispering to Ruby earlier that it was actually to plan Anne's birthday surprise), Anne hadn't been able to ride Belle since Matthew wanted to give her some rest after a hard week, and Anne was planning to meet Marilla, who would be over helping Mary and out with Delphine while Bash tended to chores.

Anne had been going on about how beautiful the walk was. "I wonder if I could persuade Cole to make a little set of paintings of every season in Avonlea. The snow on the pines, the spring blossoms, the summer wildflowers, the autumn leaves… it's all just so breathtaking!"

Gilbert made a noise of agreement, at once grateful and disappointed that Anne didn't see that his focus was on her, rather than the scenery.

"One of these days, I should learn to skate."

_I'll teach you,_ Gilbert wanted to say. "Planning on taking up hockey? Or do you want to do some up-close-and-personal reporting on the game?" He grinned.

Anne laughed and shook her head, her cheeks a little pink at the thought. "No! Honestly, I'd love to figure-skate. Tracing delicate patterns on the ice… It's like making patterns on frosted windows. You wouldn't think it's a way to create something beautiful, but it is."

For the second time in as many minutes, Gilbert found himself biting back a compliment about Anne's looks. It was difficult. Her peacock blue jacket and fiery red hair contrasted so wonderfully with each other and the snow, and for a moment, Gilbert wondered what Cole might think of a request to paint Anne as she was now.

Anne seemed to have taken his silence as agreement—which, to be fair, he did agree—and had continued with her thought. "I'm just not sure I would be any good at it. Marilla says I'll develop grace at some point once I learn to slow down, but that was after I came in from falling over into a snow bank after spinning around to take in the glorious day…"

Gilbert glanced at the snowbanks around him and for a brief moment, imagined wrapping his arms around Anne's waist, lifting her into the air. She would have her hands braced on his shoulders, laughing with him as he'd spin them both around, only just letting Anne's toes touch the ground when he'd stop before collapsing back into a snow bank. Anne's hair would fall into a curtain around them, and he'd find himself looking into her eyes as she'd slowly close the distance between them. Her lips would be cold at first, but against his, they'd warm quickly…

He inhaled sharply as he stepped on an icy patch. He planted his hockey stick against the ground to steady himself, managing to stay upright, if not entirely graceful about it.

"Gilbert? Are you alright?" Anne was looking at him curiously.

"Yeah, just… thinking. I need a new hockey stick. I'll have to remember to bring money next time. Hopefully the Mi'kmaq will come back with Moody's soon, and I can ask for one then." He thought for a moment. "So, how was the party last weekend?"

Anne beamed. "It was exquisite. We almost didn't get to go, though! Cole had a bit of a cold early last week, and there was some question as to whether he'd be well enough to escort us."

"You could have asked me." It slipped out before Gilbert could really think about it. "I mean—I was going to Charlottetown anyway."

Anne nodded, but her brow furrowed. "I suppose so, but who would have escorted us back? It's not as though you would have arranged to stay overnight."

Gilbert shrugged. "I could have found somewhere to room for the night. I did when I was working on the docks."

Anne bit her lip. "I'm sure Aunt Jo would have let you stay." Her worried expression turned to a slightly wicked grin. "Were you trying to wrangle a last-minute invitation to the party of a woman you've never met?"

"Well, you just made it sound so inviting that I thought stopping in might have been worth it," Gilbert drawled back teasingly. More seriously, he said, "It really does sound like a wonderful time, though."

"It is," Anne assured him, her tone leaving no room for doubt. She thought for a moment, and then: "If Diana can invite our classmates next year when we're at Queens, you should come. You and Cole got on well; I'm sure he'd be glad to see you again."

The hope that had welled in Gilbert's chest deflated. He debated agreeing on the condition that Anne save a dance for him, but all that came out was a strangled "Yeah…"

Anne turned to him, a worried look on her face. "…Are you alright? Do we need to stop for a moment?"

"I'm fine," He assured her quickly, feeling his cheeks warm. "Just tired."

Anne nodded. "You did skate hard today. Had to, I suppose, with the uneven numbers."

"Billy wanted to prove a point." Gilbert rolled his eyes. "The next time he does that, I'm letting him do it on his own. He stole the puck from us half the time to take the shot we were going for, and from a worse angle!"

"He made less than half of those, too," Anne informed him. "Jane was taking notes to make fun of him in the next paper, and she asked me to keep track. Diana gave her the notes from the last game to use as a comparison." She grinned. "It's not looking good for Billy."

Gilbert had to laugh. "It turns out that working as a team and taking turns generally helps things."

"Who'd have thought?" Anne deadpanned as they stepped up onto the Blythe-LaCroix porch. The teens knocked snow from their boots before heading inside.

Mary was just taking a kettle from the stove. "How was the game, Gilbert?"

"Better pose that question to the person who was watching," Gilbert replied.

Mary turned. "Anne! Welcome!"

"Hi, Mary." Anne smiled warmly and glanced around. "Did Marilla not come by?"

"She just left," answered Mary. Anne turned to leave, but Mary told her, "Oh no, you don't. You were standing in the cold and not skating like that one." She jerked her head at Gilbert. "You're staying for tea. And anyway, Dellie's been wanting to see you."

"Far be it from me to refuse the wishes of Princess Delphine," Anne cooed as Mary turned the baby's basket to face Anne and Gilbert while they removed their outerwear. That done, Anne gently lifted Delphine from the basket. The baby stared up a her with wide, dark eyes. "Hi Delphine," Anne crooned. "You're getting so big! And look at that smile! You're just the happiest little bundle. Ah! And apparently taking notes from your uncle," she murmured just loud enough for Gilbert to hear when Delphine grabbed the end of Anne's braid and pulled.

Gilbert wasn't sure whether or not he was meant to react. Anne seemed to belatedly realize Gilbert had probably heard her, as she pursed her lips shut when she caught Gilbert looking at her. She set Dellie back in the basket and gently pried the baby's fingers from her hair and took a cup of tea from Mary, and Gilbert took up standing by the basket, offering his niece a finger to hold.

Delphine flailed her tiny arms in what Gilbert had been told was a signal that the baby was looking for more interaction. "Hey, Delphine." He picked her up out of the basket and took her over to the window. "See all that snow out there? See the way it falls? It's really fascinating. Each an every snowflake has six sides, and there are so many shapes that they can take. And sometimes, they clump up and stick to whatever they hit. It drove your dad absolutely crazy when he first got here. When you get bigger, I'll teach you how to make a proper snowball. Your dad will throw them back if I do it, but you're far too cute." He continued rambling on, unaware that he very much had Anne's rapt attention until she set her teacup back down just a little too hard on the saucer, causing a clatter that startled a wail out of Delphine.

Gilbert tried bouncing his niece to shush her, but Dellie's cries only grew louder. "Mary…" he trailed off nervously.

"She's probably finally hungry. She's been sleeping a lot today." Mary took Delphine from Gilbert, suppressing a smile.

Mary's departure with Delphine left Anne and Gilbert alone in the kitchen.

"I should go," Anne said quickly. _Before I cause some other disaster_ went unspoken, but it was plain to see on her face.

Gilbert wasn't sure whether he should assure her that babies were rather in the habit of crying (a fact he had to believe she was well aware of, given how often she was over) or smooth things over. Or… "Do you want some company on the walk home? I was going to go back outside to check on Bash, but I can put that off a little while longer."

Anne shook her head. "No, I'll be fine." More quietly, she added as she pulled her jacket back on, "Thank you for offering, though. It's very… kind of you."

Gilbert wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he donned his own coat and opened the door for Anne. "Careful, by the way. We were lucky coming in, but the edge is a little—" He lurched forward to catch Anne's elbow as she slipped. "—icy."

A breathless "Ah," was all Anne could could manage for a moment as she righted herself. "I, um… thanks. Again."

"I was just about to see what it was that had you dawdling!" Bash called as he walked up. "But Miss Anne is an acceptable distraction."

"Distraction?!" Gilbert went to step off the porch, hitting the same patch Anne had and only barely catching himself with one of the posts, noting that Anne was hiding a laugh, and trying not to give her a bit of his own conspiratorial grin, which was trying to form despite his indignation at Bash's mocking.

"I was just leaving," Anne told Bash.

Bash grinned. "Ah, well, not a distraction, then. Blythe here is just being lazy."

"Bash!" Gilbert rolled his eyes before turning to Anne. "I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

Anne nodded. "Mhm. Tomorrow. See you then." With that, she was on her way.

Bash watched Anne go for a moment before turning to Gilbert. "Someday, Blythe, you'll tell me I was right." He started back to the barn.

Under his breath, Gilbert murmured, "Yeah, I hope so," and shuffled off to join Bash.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I wasn't sure whether I'd have to split this out into two chapters, but it wound up being short enough that it worked well as one, and I didn't wind up writing the second half from Anne's POV like I'd thought I would.
> 
> I'm going to leave this story as complete for now, since it works as-is, but I may come back to it in the future. It's a fun little universe to explore, and potentially to expand upon in non-canon-compliant ways.

**Author's Note:**

> You all know the drill by now. I am always thoroughly jazzed to hear your thoughts/hopes/dreams/breakfast choices/etc in the comments, or you can find me on Tumblr @js589.


End file.
